Clergy meet the Queen again, this time in London

The Very Rev. Canon Peter O'Reilly, Parish Priest of St. Michael's Church, and the Very Rev. Kenneth Hall, Dean of Clogher and Rector of St. Macartin's Cathedral, have once again been in the company of Her Majesty The Queen.

Very Rev. Dean Kenneth Hall (left) and Very Rev. Canon Peter O'Reilly, who have returned from their visit to London.<

The well-known Enniskillen clergymen attended a reception in Buckingham Palace in the past week at the invitation of the Monarch and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The reception was for those who helped organise various events to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and included a number of celebrities, including singer-songwriter Gary Barlow, who had contributed to the festivities of the Diamond Jubilee weekend itself.

Canon O'Reilly and Dean Hall, who also had the opportunity to talk to other members of the Royal Family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of York and Princesses Beatrice and Eugene, were invited as co-hosts of the Northern Ireland State Service of Thanksgiving to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which took place in St. Macartin's Cathedral in June and was followed by a reception in St. Michael's Church.

During their time at the Palace last week, both clergy had the opportunity to speak to Her Majesty at length upon arrival, and again later as part of a small group at Her Majesty's request.

During their engaging conversation with the Queen, the Canon and Dean spoke about the impact of her visit to Enniskillen, and how the visit created a pathway in terms of community relations that many have wanted to follow but have not had the confidence to do freely in the past. The Queen's visit to Enniskillen had provided a glimpse of the future, one where people can be together, not necessarily be the same, but together in peace and harmony.

During their time in London, the local clergymen were followed by an ITN film crew in preparation for a two part series covering the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; they had previously been interviewed for the programme when the Queen and Prince Phillip visited Enniskillen in June.